Read your blog and agree about Dr. Natalicio's attitude towards UTEP athletics. But the fact that she hired Senter and not Park adds a bit of a twist to that. True, she is not going to put more $ into athletics than she already allows but by hiring Senter, she is saying that if the AD can find ways to pay more for coaches and lift up the athletic department, more power to him. Seems to me that Senter has the drive and passion to succeed where Stull sort of slipped into a self induced coma for the last few years.
If Senter is able to hire a high quality coach, say Keeler or Houston, it won't be cheap. Houston now makes $375k and incentives can take him up to about what Kugler was making here. If there is not more money at UTEP, he would be smart to hold out for a better situation and stay at JMU. Keeler reportedly makes a base salary of $250k and with incentives likely can make quite a bit more than that, so he comes a little cheaper, but why would he make the move if the situation won't allow him to offer good money for top quality assistants, etc. UTEP has gotten by on the cheap with coaches like Kugler but won't be able to be that cheap when hiring coaches that know what the hell the score is.
Floyd's mbb contract was constructed creatively and something along the same lines for our new head FB coach could work.
$250k base pay from UTEP
$200k for coaches shows, camps, etc. from boosters
$150k from season ticket sales (guaranteed)
other incentives in Floyd's contract for winning, NIT/NCAA appearances were in his contract
For football, a man of Senter's quality (JMHO) could do this:
$300k base pay from UTEP (not a huge stretch for Senter to accomplish... still not big bucks for Natalicio who now allows $250k)
$300k for coaches shows, camps, etc. from boosters who now offer $250k
$200k from season ticket sales (guaranteed) this being a new piece
additional incentives for performance
So basically it's on the AD to persuade and thus create a solid offer to a well qualified candidate.